Just how wiley are coyotes?

[gottsegnet]

OK, you guys, last night we had a whole pack (at least 10) of coyotes just milling about in our front yard like they owned the place. Some were lying down, some were sitting and watching the house and some just walked around and tussled with each other.. They weren't 20 feet from the window we were watching them from and were totally relaxed. They weren't even anywhere near anything that would serve as cover, just totally out in the open.

I know they think this is their territory. We only recently moved here, but while we were moving, my daughter saw them hanging out in the long grass near the garage and just watch us. I've walked within ten feet of them without knowing it.

We have pets, chickens and small children. I've been locking our cat up at night, but letting the dogs go in and out. When I let the dogs out last night, they took off after the coyotes and set the whole pack running. My husband was convinced they were luring the dogs away. I thought once the pack chose to run, they'd just keep running. I lost sight of them about a 1/4 mile down the road, but heard the barking for a good ten more minutes, further away each time. The dogs finally came home, all keyed up and barking at everything, even when the heat turned on.

I'm proud of my little guardians, but am a bit worried. Hunter, the mutt, is a little bigger than a coyote, but is no match for a pack. Copper is a beagle and half that size. Is the pack's past behavior indicative of how they will react in the future, or will they come back ready to stand their ground? I don't want the dogs running the countryside, anyway, but I don't want a pack of coyotes to continue to be that comfortable on the property. I'm thinking in future I may go out with them on leashes to let them bark and be all vicious but under control.

 

[La Mike]

Be careful letting your dogs run them at some point they will figure out that they outnumber them and chaos will begin
As far as them hangin out around your house that's just not safe to let continue
One contracts rabies or finds an opportune moment and there will be trouble
And yes they are extremely smart and cunning predators

 

[JP33]

Shoot every one you see, they cannot be trusted, especially this pack. Your chickens and dogs are seen as supper to them.


...JP

 

[La Mike]

Quote:
Yep and the ones that survive shoot em again

 

[gottsegnet]

My husband is looking at guns, but at the moment, all I have is intimidation. Even then, I'm going to have to learn to shoot.

I hadn't really thought about it before, but this property was vacant for at least two years. The critters here are used to having free run. There are even coyote tracks in the barns! The coop is secure once the chickens are locked in, but wouldn't you know that they all escaped yesterday before I locked them up? I caught 2 but 2 were at large when the coyotes came.

I was SOOO happy to find them this morning, hanging out by the entrance to the coop waiting to be let back in!

My big job for today is to make the run escape proof. And figuring out how to train my chickens to go in at night. They always did on their own at our old place, but now they won't even stay in when I shove them in. I have to place them on their roost and block their exit or they come right back out and sleep in the corners of the coop.

 

[La Mike]

Leave your chickens locked in about 2 weeks and they should start roosting where you want

 

[NHred]

Dana - Coyotes are terrific rodent eaters and they probably found a great source of food at your place when it was deserted. I am not sure that shooting them is the right answer but you definitely don't want them threatening your family, pets and livestock. We have a pack of coyotes that roams around in the area that I live. We have chickens and my neighbors have chickens, ducks, goats and pigs - and, so far, no problems. We have 4 dogs of varying size and they seem to be a sufficient deterrent. If there is enough of a natural food source they won't go to the trouble of hunting your livestock. I also encourage my husband and two sons to go out and "mark their territory" (if you know what I mean) on a regular basis. They enjoy the back to nature experience and the coyotes leave us and our flock alone. Go give your husband a jug of ice tea and tell him to get busy......good luck!

 

[ellieroo]

Your cat is in great danger as the coyotes will clear a whole neighborhood of cats. they also will lure dogs even GSD off and kill them.The chickens if in a safe pen can free range during the day.But that may lose some. I've been where you are right now! We had one big male that walked our fenceline everyday for months. I've lost 3 barn cats and two roos but my dog is a dobe and behind a 5ft chain link fence! I also have a mustang that tolerates No coyotes and has made that very clear. the jug of tea will work esp. if you have sons.Sorry but it does work well!!!

 

[kichohana]

No way I would let coyotes get comfortable on my property, especially with small children around. I have a fox that comes around occasionally, but I make it known that he is NOT welcome here. Even if you don't have a gun to shoot them, do everything to make it known they are not welcome. Firecrackers (if legal where you live) make a great noise at scaring off wild animals. If firecrackers are not legal, a good airhorn will also make a lot of noise to scare them off.

 

[gottsegnet]

That's funny about the guys. I've been walking the dogs around the border for that reason, but not the human boys.

We do keep the cat locked up at night. I feed her in the garage about an hour before dusk, but she spends most of the time during the day on the porch or in the house anyway. She's is supposed to be a barn cat, but he mom got sick when she was born and she's spent almost her whole life indoors.

I'm fine with them taking rodents! And I kind of enjoy listening to them at night. OK, I kind of enjoyed watching them in the yard, too, but I don't want to encourage that! It surprised me how comfortable they were. I grew up in the suburbs and we had coyotes there, too, but sightings were rare and they were always either on the run or ducking for cover. These guys were lying down, and playing practically under our window!

Not planning on free ranging our chickens. Our beagle chases them. He's never killed any and doesn't seem to know what to do with one when he catches it. He just sort of stands there, waiting for it to wrestle with him like the cat does. But I'm afraid what will happen if he ever does, even by accident.